One of the first rabbis to join
the Mizrachi movement, Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel (1882–1945) was one of
the great writers and public preachers of his time, whose oratorical
skills could move even the most hardened hearts. In 1920, he was elected
as one of the delegates to represent Mizrachi of Poland at the Mizrachi
World Convention in Amsterdam. He made such an impression upon the
Jewish community that he was soon appointed Rabbi of Antwerp, one of the
largest and richest Jewish communities at the time.
In 1936, Rabbi Amiel made Aliyah
in order to serve as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, the largest Jewish
community in the Yishuv, where he worked to improve relations between
the religious and secular segments of the community. As Chief Rabbi,
Rabbi Amiel founded Yeshiva HaYishuv HaChadash, a yeshiva high school
which combined religious and secular studies. This yeshivah, later named
in Rabbi Amiel’s memory, was used as the model for the Bnei Akiva high
schools later established throughout Israel.
One of Mizrachi’s most penetrating
thinkers, Rabbi Amiel was troubled by the often contentious
relationship between Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael, founded in 1912 to
strengthen Orthodox institutions in opposition to the Zionist movement
and Mizrachi. In this powerful 1934 essay, Rabbi Amiel senses the
impending destruction of European Jewry and calls upon Mizrachi and
Agudat Yisrael to find common ground in a spirit of brotherhood. Though
written 88 years ago, Rabbi Amiel’s essay continues to resonate in our
time.
*
Anyone who desires to speak the truth
is forced to admit that we at Mizrachi, with our limited strength, will
not accomplish very much if we act alone. If we wish to avoid the fate
of יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֵב (an animal that becomes unfit for a
sacrifice and is sent out to pasture until it dies [Mishnah Temurah
3:3]), we must seek out partners to assist us in our holy work – whether
we want to or not.
Where will we find these partners?
Will we find them among those on the left who continue to distance
themselves from us and our values? It is clear that there is only one
source to which we can turn: to those on the right.
“A partnership with Agudat Yisrael?”
you will ask with skepticism, “Is such a thing possible?” The truth is
that the time has come to rethink our relationship with Agudat Yisrael.
Many people from our camp mistakenly believe that Mizrachi was established primarily to battle against the Agudah; that this milchemet mitzvah
(obligatory war) is not merely a means to an end but rather an end in
itself and the central purpose of Mizrachi’s existence. I know it is
true that there are many groups within Agudat Yisrael who feel that the
entire purpose of the Agudah is to battle against Mizrachi, but one
wrong does not justify another.
Though Mizrachi and the Agudah
disagree on several matters, both parties fly the flag of Torah and the
spirit of Torah. Unfortunately, the relations between them are not at
all in the spirit of Torah, whose “ways are ways of pleasantness and all
her paths are peace” (Mishlei 3:17), nor do these battles add to the
glory of Torah. The battle with the Agudah is not a milchemet mitzvah, nor is it even a milchemet reshut
(optional war)! The fighting between us brings destruction to the
entire Torah world, degrading the glory of Torah and our community and
thereby strengthening those on the left who oppose us and laugh as we
fight amongst ourselves.
Did we at Mizrachi not publicize,
soon after our founding, the following platform: “The purpose of our
association is to draw close and not to distance, to build and not to
destroy, to walk in ways of pleasantness and peace, to respect the honor
of our opponents and to make peace among the various parties.” Did we
intend for these words to guide only our relationship with those on the
left? Was our intention regarding Agudat Yisrael to distance and not to
draw close, to reject even those views of theirs that are correct and to
judge them always unfavorably? Is there really nothing positive that we
can learn from the Agudah?
On the other hand, does Agudat Yisrael not see that in the new Yishuv of Eretz Yisrael,
Mizrachi alone bears the burden of battling for the glory of Torah
against our [internal] enemies, “those who ravaged and ruined you who
come from you” (Yishayahu 49:17), who wish to uproot the Torah from
Israel? How can the Agudah watch all this from afar and sit on its
hands, content with doing nothing? Has the Agudah given notice that it
cares not for what happens in the broader Jewish community of Israel?
The Agudah restricts its focus to Poland, but if, G-d forbid, Eretz Yisrael
is built according to the spirit of the secular camp that seeks to
uproot Torah, will this not detrimentally impact the Jews of Poland?
Ultimately, Eretz Yisrael will become the center of worldwide Jewry, and if Eretz Yisrael is not ours, what will become of the exile?
If Eretz Yisrael
is built in the spirit of Torah it will be the greatest possible
sanctification of G-d’s name. And if, G-d forbid, it is built in the
spirit of idolatry, it will be the greatest desecration of G-d’s name
since the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. Does the responsibility for the future of Eretz Yisrael not fall upon all of the faithful believers of Israel?
“We toil and they toil, we awaken
early and they awaken early…” (Berachot 28b). Mustn’t we learn from
those on the secular left who used to be divided into different groups
like Tze’irei Tziyon and Poalei Tziyon,
but for the good of the movement gave up their unique names and united
to become one federation of workers for the Land of Israel? Why are only
the Torah Jews torn into different factions that cannot work together?
Why can’t we join together to form a federation to build a holy Eretz Yisrael? We do not have to combine into one organization in order to work closely together!
 |
| A
section in “Hahed” newspaper (December 1932 edition) covering Mizrachi
and Agudah news. Hahed was published in Eretz Yisrael between 1926 and
1952, and tried to encourage a Zionist spirit among Charedi Jews. |
I am reminded of a sad story shared
by the rabbis (Gittin 58a): “There was an incident involving the son and
the daughter of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the High Priest, who were
taken captive and sold into slavery to two different masters. After some
time the two masters met in a certain place. This master said: I have a
male slave whose beauty is unmatched in all of the world, and that
master said: I have a female slave whose beauty is unmatched in all of
the world.
“The two masters said: Come, let us
marry these two slaves to one another and divide the children born to
them between us, as they will certainly be very beautiful. They secluded
them in a room. The young man sat in one corner and the young woman sat
in the other corner. He said: ‘I am a priest and the descendant of High
Priests. Shall I marry a female slave?’ And she said: ‘I am the
daughter of a priest and the descendant of High Priests. Shall I be
married to a male slave?’ And they wept all through the night. When dawn
arrived they recognized each other and fell on each other and wept
until their souls departed. And with regard to them, Yirmiyahu lamented:
‘For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, for my
comforter is far from me’ (Eicha 1:16).”
How painful is this story! A brother
and sister, both suffering and both the children of the same father and
mother, find themselves together in a room. But instead of working
together to find a way to escape from their suffering, “this one sat in
one corner and that one sat in the other corner,” each one taking pride
in their own yichus (genealogy)
and demeaning the other. Ultimately they recognize each other, but only
after it is too late to escape. The only thing left for them is to weep
together until “their souls departed.”
Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael, the two
halves of the religious community in our time, are threatened with
destruction by both our external enemies and the evil winds that blow
within our own nation. But instead of working together to ensure the
Torah is not forgotten among the people of Israel, G-d forbid, each camp
sits in its own corner, insulting and degrading the other. I fear that
when the time comes and we finally recognize that we are brothers, there
won’t be anything left to save.
With regard to them, Yirmiyahu lamented: “For these things I weep…”
*
Crisis Unites Mizrachi, Agudah
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
United action on behalf of Palestine has been agreed upon by the
Mizrachi, religious Zionist organization, and the Agudath Israel,
religious non-Zionist body, it was announced here today by the leaders
of the two groups. A joint proclamation issued by Rabbi Meir Berlin, for
the Mizrachi, and Dr. Jacob Rosenheim, for the Agudath Israel,
declared: “In these critical times, when the fate of the Jewish nation
hangs in the balance and the future of the homeland is a matter of grave
concern, we have resolved to unite in great emergency efforts for
strengthening the influence of the Torah tradition in the Holy Land.”
https://mizrachi.org/hamizrachi/mizrachi-and-agudat-yisrael-enemies-or-allies/
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Leaves Agudath Yisrael for Mizrachi
For
the first time in the annals of our exile, Divine Providence has
amazed our enemies with the astounding discovery that Jewish blood is
not cheap!… If we want to courageously defend our continued national and
historical existence… The Torah has always taught that a man is
permitted, indeed, has a sacred obligation, to defend himself… Public
and private honor is dependent upon the possibility of defending one’s
life and one’s honor. A people that cannot defend its freedom and
tranquillity is neither free nor independent. The third of the phrases
of Divine redemption is “And I shall redeem you with an outstretched
hand and with great judgments” (Shemot 6:6). Thank G-d we have lived
to see the day when, with the help of G-d, Jews have it within their
power to defend themselves.
Let us not forget that the poison of Hitlerite antisemitism (which
made Jews fair game to all) still permeates this generation, which
looked with equanimity upon the horrible scene of the suffocation of
millions in gas chambers as a normal event that need not be challenged.
The antidote for this venom that poisoned minds and dulled hearts is
the readiness of the State of Israel to defend the lives of its
citizens. Listen! My Beloved Knocks!
● Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Kol Dodi Dofek, Yom HaAtzmaut 1956.
In 1935, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik submitted his candidacy to
become the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv as the representative of Agudath
Yisrael. Less than a decade later, in 1944, Rabbi Soloveitchik was the
chairman of the Central Committee of the Religious Zionists of America.
Rabbi Soloveitchik’s shift in allegiance from Agudath Yisrael to
Mizrachi resulted from a frank and painful reevaluation of his
philosophy in response to the Holocaust. Witnessing the destruction of
European Jewry, Rabbi Soloveitchik came to believe that Mizrachi’s
activist approach to building a Jewish future in the Land of Israel had
saved Judaism and the Jewish people from extinction.
In a 1962 address to the Religious Zionists of America, Rabbi Soloveitchik explained:
I was not born into a Zionist household. My parents’ ancestors, my
father’s house, my teachers and colleagues were far from the Mizrachi
Religious Zionists… My links with Mizrachi grew gradually; I had my
doubts about the validity of the Mizrachi approach… I built an altar
upon which I sacrificed sleepless nights, doubts and reservations.
Regardless, the years of the Hitlerian Holocaust, the establishment of
the State of Israel, and the accomplishments of the Mizrachi in the Land
of Israel, convinced me of the correctness of our movement’s path. The
altar still stands today, with smoke rising from the sacrifice upon it…
Jews like me… are required to sacrifice on this altar their peace of
mind as well as their social relationships and friendships.
● Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, The Rav Speaks: Five Addresses on Israel, History and the Jewish People (Judaica Press, 2002) pp. 34–36.
https://mizrachi.org/hamizrachi/rabbi-joseph-b-soloveitchik-leaves-agudath-yisrael-for-mizrachi/
Two Giants & Visionary Fervent Zionists - Both Were Nifter (Passed Away) the Third Day Of Elul.
